Motley Cru

Peter Andrade sent the following email this morning and I enjoyed reading it.  I try to be very disciplined with my inventory, between CellarTracker and barcodes, but still occasionally forget that the process requires my continued intervention or else it falls apart.  I can’t remember the specific wines I last lost or found, but I know I’ve had similar experiences (although I don’t remember finding quite the quality of wines Peter did!).

Happy New Year’s to you all.  I hope you all had a chance to drink some good stuff on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  I would love to know what everyone did.  Mary and I, as is our custom, made a fabulous dinner and drank a 2001 Insignia. 

Over the last two days, I have spent nearly 5 hours restacking and cataloguing my entire wine collection.  Though I certainly do not have the biggest or best collection, nor the best tracking system, I thought I might share with you some interesting findings.  I am not sure how often the rest of you inventory your entire collection.  I do it every time I move or about once every five years.  The last full inventory was six years ago.  It is always a revelation and this time was no different.   

Lost Wine 
About a case – I thought I had them and knew where or I thought I had them and just could not place them, but alas, they are gone.  One that hurt – a 1985 Graham’s Port.  I must have drunk it with Walter. 

Wine I knew I had, but had misplaced 
About a case – I thought I had them, but did not know where, AND – I found them.  Much happiness. 

Found Wine 
No idea I had them, but am really excited.  It is almost inexplicable that I did not know I had the following bottles and “found them” in my cellar: 

1993 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet – I drank it tonight.  It was awesome.  Steve, aging the CA Cabernets, I believe, will pay off; 
1997 Arrowood Cabernet Reserve Speciale – bought from Steve about 8 years ago.  I can’t believe I have one left; 
1997 Insignia – no idea I had one left; 
1998 Tenuta dell Ornellaia  Bologheri – 2001 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year – got to be kidding.  I can’t believe I lost this one; 
1999 Opus One; 
1999 Araujo Cabernet Eisele Vineyard; 
1999 Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet; 
2003 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet; 
2004 Conn Valley Right Bank; 
and six other Shiraz’s, Pinots, and Zins – all grateful finds. 

I share this with all of you, believing, in some sense, that we all must have some “lost and hidden” gems.  If we would only look harder, or take a disciplined inventory, we would find them. 

I hope my little note encourages all of you to do a little searching and maybe you will find some things you think you might have lost forever, but are just out of sight.

Happy New Year and a votre sante.